“When people ask what I collect, I usually tell them that if it looks like it came out of an old cabin, I love it,” says Jenifer Hendrix Bradley, owner of Jenifer’s Antiques in Conway. “I guess you can say that I love anything rustic, with a good story.”

She outfits her own Ft. Smith home with her vintage finds as well as family heirlooms, adding layers of history to her surroundings.  “I’ve been interested in and have collected antiques all my life,” Bradley says. “My grandmother and mother both had antique stores and homes full of antiques, and I’ve been going to auctions, sales, and shops since I was a child.”

Rugged and rustic items have always held special appeal, and when Bradley and her husband received a vintage goose decoy made of canvas from her father-in-law, it launched a new level in her collecting. “He was a great collector of many things, and this decoy happens to be one of my favorites,” she says.  “It dates back to the early 1900s, and the fabric is still in unusually good condition.”

Her decoy collection now includes a wide range of styles, from a circa 1920s paper goose to a small, dark ruddy duck that Bradley says is rare to find and likely dates back to the turn of the 20th century. “Rarity is one of the first things I consider when collecting,” says Bradley. “If I think I’ll never see another one like it, I usually grab it.”  She also notes that condition and original elements, like glass eyes, a moveable head, weights and paint, are important factors in determining the age and rarity of decoys.  “I don’t buy ones that have been painted over or altered,” she adds.  “I’d rather have a decoy with something missing than one with replacement parts.”

She showcases these finds alongside paintings, fishing creels and other outdoors-inspired goods from the same era. “Most of the pieces I collect are American made, and reflect the love of the outdoors that my husband and I share,” says Jenifer. Of all the items in her collection, a hand-made log cabin is her favorite find.  “It’s a one-of-a-kind masterpiece constructed from someone’s Lincoln Log set,” she says, “and it makes me think of the young boy in the 1930s or 40s who spent his summer working on that project.”

Noting that the shingles on the roof were made from long strips of wood shaved from a tree and that the stones rimming the cabin were likely gathered from the builder’s yard, the piece gives her a glimpse into the time period and life of the person who made it. “It’s so enjoyable for me to research the items I’ve found and trace them to their original owners or makers,” she says. “Here at home, I’m surrounded by the pieces that I enjoy collecting and that have historical meaning to me.”